This simplistic hallway and staircase will lead anyone to astonishment with its gorgeous 24x24 marble-like glossy porcelain tiles, black&white stairs and monochrome theme!

C Kevin Coffey
Staircase - cottage staircase idea in Nashville

Ben Finch of Finch Photo

Winter is always tough on your home. This past winter was no picnic with the snow and cold. By the time spring (really) arrives, your chimney has put up with months of freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and the constant freeze-thaw cycle that quietly does damage you can't always see from the outside. That's why a spring chimney inspection isn't just a good idea, it’s essential to have your chimney checked before storm season begins. Here’s why: Water Is Your Chimney's Worst Enemy Here's something that most homeowners don’t know: chimney leaks cause more damage to masonry chimneys than fire does. Think about that a moment. While everyone worries about creosote and chimney fires — and rightfully so — water is silently doing just as much, if not more, damage. Unlike the rest of your home, which is sheltered by your roof and eaves, your chimney stands fully exposed above the roofline. It takes on rain, wind, snow, and every freeze-thaw cycle winter throws at it, all while absorbing moisture into its porous masonry materials. That water expands and contracts, causing cracks, structural stress, and integrity loss that accumulates over time. The worst part? Chimney leaks are often subtle and slow-moving. By the time you notice water damage inside your home, the problem has usually become more serious, and expensive. What a Spring Inspection Actually Catches A professional spring chimney inspection, such as Superior Chimney’s, goes well beyond a quick visual check. A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep technician will evaluate your entire system — inside and out — looking for the most common sources of chimney leaks and damage, including cracked chimney crowns, deteriorated brick and mortar joints, damaged or missing chimney caps, faulty chimney flashing and roof leaks, chimney slab gaps, and flue gas condensation from improperly sized chimney liners. Any one of these issues left without a proper inspection, heads into spring storm season is an open invitation for water damage. And as Superior Chimney has discussed, masonry water damage is a progressive problem — the longer it goes unrepaired, the costlier the fix becomes. What You Can Do Right Now The good news is that most chimney water damage is preventable. The key steps are: • have a professional-grade chimney cap installed if you don't already have one • repair or replace a damaged chimney crown • address any deteriorated brick and mortar • fix leaky flashing and • consider having your chimney professionally waterproofed. Waterproofing alone can save you significantly on future repair costs. What’s Next? Superior Chimney always includes a free 14-Point Certified Written Inspection with photo documentation via email with every chimney sweep. This helps you to know exactly what condition your chimney is in and what, if anything, needs attention. Don't wait, have your chimney checked before storm season begins to reveal a problem that's been building all winter. Schedule your inspection today at 877-244-6349.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard brick driveway in Richmond for summer.

Our Hard Maple #1 Common Grade (2nd or Better Grade) admits tight, sound knots, provided they do not occur on edges or ends of strips. More color variations provided they do not occur in combination with predominately dark heartwood and sapwood. #1 Common Grade Maple will have a white appearance with some small knots or mineral streaks sporadic throughout the hardwood flooring. Our unfinished solid hardwood flooring is milled by MFMA (Maple Flooring Manufactures Association) Standards. The flooring will have a four-sided tongue and groove for ease of installation.

Chicago isn’t known for spacious bathrooms, especially in older areas like Ravenswood. But we’re experts in using every inch of a condo’s limited footprint. With that determination, this mini master bath now has a full vanity, shower, and soaking tub with room to spare. You can find more information about 123 Remodeling and schedule a free onsite estimate on our website: https://123remodeling.com/

Allan Jerman
Trendy home design photo in Boise

Issue: Client needed additional parking and more space for entry. Solution: Removed old weathered concrete walk from beside existing driveway. Removed dated and broken light. Used Courtstone from Unilock as accent band while expanding entry and providing additional parking for guests.

Reclaimed hickory flooring in a Weston, Massachusetts home. Finished with water-based polyurethane.
Example of a transitional medium tone wood floor home design design in Boston with yellow walls, a brick fireplace and a media wall

One of the most popular hardwood floor finishing which offers Tom & Peter Flooring is provided by WOCA. If you’ve decided that you want a natural looking wooden floor that is lacquer-free, then the likelihood is that you’ve chosen oil as your way of protecting your wood and making your floor look great at the same time. WOCA for wood flooring comes in various forms and is a great way of making sure that your wood is protected, but at the same time looks natural. A highly popular as well as effective way of treating wood floors, oils effectively penetrate into the wood and in some cases harden into the surface of the floor to stop damage and to maintain the wood in its optimum condition. WOCA Oil finish hardwood flooring has taken the United States market by in 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down in 2016 and now. Here are some of the most common questions we have regarding this type of finish which we will I’m to answer in today’s my blog: Is oil finish as durable as traditional factory urethane finishes with aluminum oxide? When it comes to durability, oil finish flooring tackles the issue with a completely different method. The penetrating oil serves as protection from moisture and wear while allowing the user to feel the wood grains in their bare feet. If compared directly to factory finished aluminum oxide finish, the oil finish flooring will not perform as well to abrasion and impact. However, the beauty of this finish is the fact that it will camouflage any scratches which will inevitably accumulate over time. Will this finish evaporate over time and will this be harmful for indoor air quality? Another concern for oil finished floors its effect on indoor air quality. For on-site applications, some varieties suggest several coats which typically require the residents to be out of the home due to mild odors. However, there are factory finished UV-cured or single coat applications which lessen the downtime. Despite the odors produced during the drying process, oil finish floors rank amongst the lowest for VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions. Certain brands even boast true zero VOC. This fact alone makes oil finished floors one of the best options for green building solutions. “WOCA products are certified by independent laboratories, the German Institute for Biological Building Materials, and are in accordance with DIN–Norm 53–160. WOCA WoodCare Denmark products meet or exceed the most stringent U.S. standards for volatile organic compounds.” –WOCA Oil Finish Manufacture Does this type of finish require additional maintenance which I am not familiar with? For weekly cleaning, oiled floors use a special cleaner which contains an oil and soap mixture. After a period of 12-18 months some oil may evaporate causing the wood grains to appear dry. An additional layer of oil can be reapplied to keep the floor looking fresh. Although oil finished floors require more involvement in periodic maintenance in high traffic areas, this maintenance can be done much easier than the equivalent of an onsite sand and refinish. WOCA Master Color Oil contains pigment, which provides a single-step hardwood floor staining process. Laying down the stain and the finish in one step. This product comes 14 different colors, from Black to Extra White, and you can mix them freely to create various color palettes that will meet the demands of any job. Below are some pictures of the finished job…

Stairs in honed Pietra d'Avola and wall in Raw texture from Salvatori Pepe Fotografia
Staircase - contemporary staircase idea in Turin

Gwendolyn Lanstrum
Inspiration for a craftsman bathroom remodel in Cleveland

Mid-sized elegant 3/4 ceramic tile alcove shower photo in Philadelphia with white walls

Inspiration for a cottage staircase remodel in Calgary

Example of a mid-sized classic master white tile and subway tile ceramic tile alcove shower design in Providence with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, a two-piece toilet, an undermount sink and blue walls

Mid-sized elegant living room photo in Denver

Board form concrete fireplace on Galiano island finished in plaster to replicate 6" thick concrete
Inspiration for a modern loft-style medium tone wood floor home design remodel in Vancouver with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a plaster fireplace